For patients suffering from chronic illness, monitoring of their condition and ensuring compliance of health regimes are vital to their long term health. However, patients are often unsuccessful at keeping proper records of health statistics related to their condition. Logbooks, PDAs and computers adapted to monitor their conditions often become a burden, furthering their suffering instead of being a tool to assist them in effectively dealing with their condition.
In general, the ability to ensure the monitoring and response to changing physiological conditions in real time gives the patient the ability to react to their condition before an emergency occurs. The improved care through direct patient management means reduced costs associated with chronic conditions: less physician visits, less hospital visits and fewer sick days.
Diabetes is an example of a particularly difficult chronic condition requiring constant monitoring and attention by the patient. Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious, often life-threatening complications and certain groups may experience an even greater threat. There are currently approximately 20 million people in North America alone suffering from diabetes; this number is estimated to climb to 45 million by 2010. Good diabetes management can help reduce risk. However, approximately 70% of diabetics do not manage their disease. In recent report issued by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) entitled the “State of Diabetes in America”, blood sugar control across the United States was examined. The findings revealed that approximately two out of three Americans with type 2 diabetes analyzed in the study did not reach the AACE-recommended target blood sugar goal in 2003 and 2004.
Further, studies in the United States and abroad have found that improved glycemic control benefits people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In fact, after a 17 year federal study, the New England Journal of Medicine reported in the Dec. 22, 2005 issue that “intense control of blood sugar prevents heart attacks and strokes by nearly 50%.” According to the American Diabetes Association, every percentage point drop in A1C blood test results (e.g., from 8.0% to 7.0%) reduces the risk of microvascular complications (e.g., eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) by 40%.
Cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease or stroke, is another example of a particularly difficult chronic condition that can benefit from constant monitoring and attention by the patient. For example, controlling blood pressure reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease among persons with diabetes by 33% to 50% and the risk of microvascular complications by approximately 33% according to American Diabetes Associates. In general, for every 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, the risk for any complication related to diabetes is reduced by 12%. The control of blood lipids also is important, with studies showing that improved control of cholesterol or blood lipids (for example, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20% to 50%.
In addition to those suffering from chronic disease, preventative medicine often requires the monitoring of specific health-related statistics. For example, the monitoring of blood pressure and cholesterol is necessary for many people, especially those with a family history of cardiac problems. Moreover, so-called “pre-diabetics” are advised to keep close watch on their glucose level as a preventative measure in avoiding the full blown disease.